A Bright Sun
by Awesomepossum328
Summary: "And what if she can't handle it? Then what?" Her mother asked, softly. "She dies, doesn't she?" Arabella Summers has had strange things happen to her: disappearing babysitters, strange monsters following her, and vanishing men. When she discovers she is a demigod, what will she do when she learns she's been "cursed" by her own father? Will she thrive, or give into this "curse?"
1. Honey Boy

**Hey guys, yes this is a story that I already had up, but deleted. I hit a dead end and decided to rewrite. So I hope you guys like it. I'm sorry to all the people who liked this story before (All six of you, LOL) but I've rewritten it and hopefully it's better.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson series.**

**If I did, we would be gossping about the recently released House of Hades...**

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Arabella Summers hated the darkness

She often had dreams when she fell through a dark pit of nothingness or when she was running down a dark tunnel being chase by something. Arabella was deathly afraid of it, but honestly, who did like darkness? Besudes those really creepy goth kids...

And vampires. Definitely vampires.

But Arabella was not a goth kid or Kristin Stewart; She had emotion.

Point proven.

Arabella wasn't ever populaqr, but she wasn't a nobody either. She never picked her nose, when she thought no one was looking, when in reality everyone was staring. She never attempted to make friends, in fear of losing them. She never laugh in some poor boy's face when he asked her out, not like any boy had ever her asked her out though.

She couldn't sprint as quickly as JoEllen, the track champ of her school, holding two state records for the one hundred meter and two hundred meter dashes. She was a musical prodigy like Kelsi, who could hit a high A, twice above the staff. She was as smart as Bridget, the only girl who maintained a 4.0 average since kindergarten.

Arabella was in no-man's land.

She never tried out for any sports teams, never tried to sing or play a musical instrument, nor did she try to be the smartest. She preferred the unclaimed territory.

In the unclaimed territory, no one paid Arabella much attention, and she could get by with minimal damage. And she didn't have make friends. She didn't have to tell anyone her secrets. She would never tell anyone the things she kept hidden: the monsters that stalked her and the creatures that attacked her. She never told anyone, well except Melany a few years back.

Melany was a teenager who had found her soulmate in eight-inch black pump heels. All she ever wore was black, just black, contradicting with Arabella's favored color: yellow. Her hair had been died black, with it's natural blonde showing at the roots. Her leather jacket smelt like motorcycle exhaust and whatever guy she had spent some quality time with the night before.

Melany smoked and thought nobody knew, but after Arabella had found stray cigarette studs on the carpet in the living and the fire alarm disarmed, Melany's "secret" had been exposed.

That earned Arabella an extra five bucks a week, to keep it quiet.

Melany never believed Arabella when she told her about the monsters. She had tried to tell Melany about a giant pig stalking her, but she just muttered something about drugs, and turned back to her Biker's Weekly Magazine. Two weeks later, Arabella had come bursting through the front door and to Melany, screaming about horse people chasing her. Melany yawned and promptly told her to "suck it."

Arabella didn't like Melany, and wish she'd just disappear.

Arabella never saw Melany again.

She had even resorted to asking her overworked attorny of a mother about what happened to her.

"Mom, where's Melany?"

"Who?" Her mother asked, not looking up from her case. "Ari, I have no time for your imaginary friends right now."

"She's not an imaginary friend, Mom." Arabella insisted. "I'm too old for those. Melany's real."

"I'm sure she is sweetie. Now go and play, I have work to do."

And that was how each of their conversations ended, _Now go and play, I have work to do. _Her mother would never crack, it was like Melany really didn't exist. Her mother was really good at it too.

"Melany is..." Arabella once started an improvisation game between the two.

"Not real. The end."

Arabella was actually beginning to believe Melany was just someone she imagined, though she wasn't sure how she had come up with a cigarette-smoking, biker eighteen year old babysitter. She had stopped asking, thinking Melany was fake; that is, until she heard her mother arguing with Honey Boy.

Arabella had come home, surprisingly with no monster attacks, and knew immediantly something was wrong. It was quiet, way too quiet. Her mother was always home now, working. There was always something being printed, a pencil being sharpened, or french-tipped nails typing away at a keyboard. But now there was nothing.

Arabella slowly closed her mother's imported ten thousand dollar Spanish Mahagony wood, French brass-knobbed, and African white stone, door.

Translation: It wasn't from Home Depot.

She had once questioned her mother's reasoning on purchasing such an expensive door, that at some point was bound to be covered in mold and rust.

_"Because it's my money, and I decide what I want to do with it, that's why."_

Arabella was about to climb the stairs to her bedroom, when she heard him.

"Joanna, I have to take her." It was a voice, obviously male, that she didn't know.

"No!" Her mother argued. "You've already wreck her life, and mine, enough."

"Joanna, she isn't safe here. She's already seen the monsters; she must go to camp."

Arabella slowly declined the half-staircase she had already traveled towards her mother's office, leaving her books at the edge of the stairs. She crouched down by the entry way, and listened.

"You had your chance to protect us, but you left!" Her mother said.

"They made me leave!" His voice was smooth, and light. "I did give her protection though."

That set her mother off, "Sure, curse her, why don't you?! That makes it all better."

The man remained silent, and Arabella took a chance to look at him. He had red RayBan sunglasses pushed up against his blonde head of hair. His evenly tanned California skin stuck out against his white t-shirt and jeans. He wore converse sneakers that were just about as worn as Arabella's own two-year old pair. And the thing that scared her, was his honey blonde hair, the exact color of her own.

Her mother spoke again, "You and I both know, that it was unsafe and you had no right without my permission."

"She can handle it." Honey Boy insisted.

"And what if she can't?" Her mother said, abruptly.

He looked away.

"And what if she can't?" Her mother asked, a little louder,

He took an interest in his shoes, still not answering her question, but he didn't need too.

Her mother's eyes watered with greif-filled tears, "She dies, doesn't she?"

His opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again.

"She dies." Her mother fell back against her office chair, a worried hand covering her mouth, slowly rubbing it.

Honey Boy moved forward, arms wide, as if to give her a comforting hug, "Joann-"

"Get out." Her mother pushed his arms away.

"What?" Honey Boy sounded surprised.

"Get out. Leave! And never come back!" Her mother spat out. "Why don't you just stab her on the way out and save the monsters the trouble?"

"Joanna, please." Honey Boy pleaded. "I'm here now. Let me protect her."

"Just so you can leave us again? No way! All you care about is your stupid prophecy and your own sorry life."

Arabella could tell by the way Honey Boy drew in his next breath, that her mother's words had been a hit below the belt. It had really affected him, whoever they were talking about was important to him. When Honey Boy turned to leave, Arabella immediantly dove from sight, in fear of being discovered, but he never walked out. Arabella slowly went back to her spot and peeked into her mother's windowless office.

Just her mother, sitting alone typing away with her french-painted nails. No Honey Boy.

He had managed to disappear from her mother's exitless office. First Melany, now Honey Boy. Perhaps Arabella was delusional. Arabella tapped into her mental reservoir, and took out her last bit of courage, and walked into her mother's office.

"Mom?"

"Not now, Arabella." Her mother sighed. "I'm very busy. Would you mind grabbing some headache pills from the cabinet in the upstairs bathroom? They're next to my face cream. Thank you, dear."

"Mom-"

"Arabella, headache pills. I'm developing a migraine."

"Who was that man?" Arabella asked.

"What?" Her mother looked up, her eyes wide.

"What was he? That man you were talking to?"

"What man? There was no one here. Are feeling all right dear? Perhaps we should've signed you up for therepy."

"I know he was here. I saw him." Arabella was certain he was real. "He looked like me. Who is he?"

"Arabella, you're being ridiculous. Now, go get me my headache pills, please."

"Mom!" Arabella slammed her hands down onto the desk, causing her mother to jump. "Stop lying to me! I know he was here, you were talking to him! The man with my blonde hair and my tan! The man in the white t-shirt, red raybans, and old converses! That man!"

"Arabella!" Her mother stood. "Don't speak to me like that. There was no man, here in a white t-shirt, red raybans, and jeans! Understand?"

"Jeans?"

"What?"

"You said, 'jeans.' I didn't say anything about jeans." Arabella looked at her mother.

"I-"

"He was here wasn't he?" Arabella questioned. "You lied to me! What else have you lied to me about? I bet Melany is real too, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"I knew it! Got anything else to share."

Her mother took a deep breath, "Ari, you're a-"

Suddenly there was a large crash, as the imported door flew off it's hinges. When two bird ladies, like the ones Arabella had seen before, flew in, her mother growled. She flipped her desk over, like a shield, and pulled her daughter behind it.

"Where is she?" One bird screeched out. "Where is the Bane?"

"This is all his fault." Her mother hissed.

"Who's fault?" Arabella asked. "Mom, I'm scared, what's going on?"

"Listen to me, Ari." Her mother sounded urgent. "I am going to distract them, and you're going to sneak out the back door."

Her mother shoved a huge wad of cash into Arabella front pocket, along with a slip of paper.

"You get a taxi, and go to this location."

"What about you?"

"And don't look back." Her mother sadly kissed her head. "I love you."

Her mother stood up, in full veiw of the monsters.

"Mom?" Arabella looked at her. "What are you doing?"

"You!" The second bird, chirped, evilly. "Where is the Bane?"

"She isn't here. She's already gone."

"I can still smell her." The first said. "Her scent is strong, she's near."

"You're wrong. She left hours ago."

"We can tell that you're lying."

The first bird swooped down and picked up her mother by the color of her grey pants suit. She flew to the high ceiling of the second, and screamed out.

"Come out, come out, little girl." She taunted. "If you want your mother to stay alive."

_"Don't look back."_

Arabella remained silent.

"Fine, then." The bird then dropped her mother.

Gravity had chosen to come to work that day, and things get three times heavier when they fall. She landed on the bottom floor, making a dent in the hardened tile. Arabella could hear the crunch of bones on the impact. Red fury blinded her vision, but she still did not move.

"You don't care for your mother, I see?" The second bird, cackled.

It arched it's wings, and made a swooping arch towards her mother, razor-sharp claws extended ready for the kill. Arabella could no longer stay quiet, she stood up.

"Stop!" The bird halted at her command.

"Look you decided to join the party." Bird one smiled, showing off her rotted teeth.

"Ew." Arabella remarked. "Ever think about dental hygiene?"

The bird cried out in anger, "I don't care any more, I will kill this girl."

"No!" Bird two, protested, but she was too late.

The action was already in movement, and Arabella was frozen in fear. She didn't know what to do, none of the other monsters she'd seen had actually attacked her.

_"I did give her protection." _Honey Boy had told her mother.

Arabella wanted that protection, badly. Suddenly a bright light overcame Arabella, then the darkest darkness to ever be shown to mankind.

And Arabella was afraid of the dark.

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**So? What did you guys think of the first chapter? Tell me if I should continue, and review!**

**Love Story: A man gave a woman twelves roses, eleven real and one fake. With the rose, he gave her a note: "I'll love you until the last one dies."**

**I am a mushy romance person like that.**

**REVIEW!**

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**You guys are such Awesome Possums! :oD**


	2. Claimed

**Hey guys, here's Chapter 2 of A Bright Sun. Thanks to all who reviewed, followed, and favorited. I hope you guys enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson series.**

**If you've seen my name on any of the covers, you seriously need to lay off the happy juice.**

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Arabella opened her eyes and blinked a few times.

She took in her surroundings, wondering where she was. The last thing she remembered was a bright light, and then the darkness. This certainly wasn't that, it was more like a civil war battlefield hospital. With rows and rows of stretchers and cots, each with a wooden bedside table with a pitcher of water resting on it.

There was a slight difference to Arabella's table next to her cot though. Hers had the similar simple porcelain, but it had a cup of apple juice chilled ice cubes next to it. Her throat was dry, but she didn't dare drink it. She may have blonde hair, but a ridiculous stereotype didn't make her an idiot.

"Ha!" A male voice exclaimed. "That's another win for me, redeal us Aaron."

"Whatever." Arabella could only assume that was Aaron.

There were four boys, as far as she could tell, all sitting around a small table. They each held cards in their hands, Arabella assumed they were playing some guy game like blackjack or poker, but she could see the hand of a boy with blonde hair like her own. The cards had strange makrings that Arabella had never seen before.

She tried to sit up, and sneak out, but an uncontrollable groan escaped from her lips as she fell back against the bed. The blonde haired boy fuzzed for a moment, but Arabella could tell he was coming to her aid.

"Hey." He said.

He placed his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to like still. Arabella would've smacked his hands away, before socking him for putting his hands on her, but she was too weak and succumbed to the light pressure from his hands.

"Hey." He repeated. "It's okay. You'll be fine, you're safe now. I'll take care of you."

He brushed a piece of hair away from her face, and tucked it behind her ear. Was he flirting with her?

"Who are you?" Arabella croaked.

"My name is Aaron."

"Arabella."

"It's nice to meet you, Arabella." Aaron smiled at her.

"Where am I?"

"The infirmary." Aaron tried, weakly, as if he were trying to delay something.

Arabella looked into his blue eyes, and saw a familiar look. He was hiding something, something he didn't want her to know. She knew that look. Her mother wore it daily.

"Where is the infimary?" Arabella pressed.

Aaron sighed, the smile running from his face, "This is Camp Half-Blood. This is a safe-haven for people like us."

"People like us?"

"Half-bloods." Aaron looked away from her. "Demigods. We are children of the Greek gods, Arabella. They exist and they sometimes hook up with mortals."

Arabella was sure she had a look of disgust on her face. Her mother, hooking up? Ew.

"And then the have kids. You are the child of god, and we all have great power. This is a place where you can train and harness this power."

"Who is your father?" Arabella asked, then quickly added. "Or mother?"

Aaron chuckled, "My mother is a school nurse in Ohio. My father is Apollo, god of the Sun, medicine, music, poetry, and prophecy."

"Wow."

"Yeah, it's pretty cool."

They both stayed silent for a moment. Aaron just sitting there, and Arabella taking in everything he just told her. She debated whether it was some prank show, or reality. And to be quite honest, she was leaning towards prank show.

"Who's my father?" Arabella asked.

"I don't know yet. We just have to wait until his claims you as his." Aaron responded.

"Oh." Arabella wondered when that would be. "Will you help me up?"

"Sure."

Aaron moved towards her, and offered a hand. Arabella grasped it firmly, ensuring she wouldn't fall. He wrapped the hand she gave him around his neck, and gripped it tightly. He wrapped his other arm, around her waist, completely supporting her. As they moved towards the door, Arabella asked another question.

"Aaron?" She asked. "How did I get here?"

"I, honestly, don't know. We found you on Half-Blood Hill about a week ago." Aaron answered.

"A week? I was out for that long?"

"Yeah," Aaron said. "I'm surprised you're not bouncing off the walls, you should be fine since you drank the nectar."

"Nectar?"

"Yeah, it's the drink of the gods. You should be fine."

"You mean the apple juice?"

Aaron looked at her as if she were insane. Then a looked a realization came over his face. Arabella knew he would've facepalmed himself, if he had the hand to do it.

"Aaron." One of the boys called to him, as he dealt the other two in. "She didn't drink it."

"Well, that explains alot." Aaron muttered under his breath.

Aaron guided Arabella back to her bed and allowed her to sit back down. He picked up the glass of nectar, very carefully, as if it were made of gold. The glass was sweating, as if anticipating the moment. He lowered it down to her mouth, and tilted it, so the liquid would slid into her mouth and down her throat as she swallowed.

Arabella was expecting plain old apple juice, and she didn't like apple juice very much. She had been all prepared to spit it out in disgust, but it didn't taste like apple juice. It was lemon squares. Her lemon squares. The ones she used to make with her mother when she was younger for her soccer games. Arabella resisted the urge to tear up at the memory, as she drained the entire glass.

Instead of crying like she thought she would, an overwhelming sense of energy came over her. She pushed herself up and smiled at Aaron. She was new again, there was no more exhaustion or pain. She was just her, perhaps even stronger.

"That's better." Aaron smiled. "Come on, it's just about dinner time."

Arabella followed Aaron and the rest of the boys out of the infirmary and into the camp. Arabella suddenly realized, that there was no way this was a prank show. There were rows of cabins, making out a Greek omega, each personalized in some way. Arabella gawked at it for about two seconds, before Aaron grabbed her hand and pulled her along.

When they arrived at the dining pavilion, it took them both a few moments to realize that their hands where still clamped together. They both blushed and dropped their hands, Aaron rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. Aaron led her to a table, overflowing with campers. Arabella looked at him, and then to a few tables that had little to no campers at them.

Aaron caught her train of thought, "You can't sit there. We are divided by our parents. For now, you will sit at the Hermes table, since you are unclaimed. When you are claimed, you can sit with your brothers and sisters."

Arabella looked to the tables that were empty or had a single person at them.

"Or not." Aaron followed her line of vision. "You may be the only person at your table."

Aaron walked off to a table that still had people at it, but it had decent space. Arabella looked longingly at a green table where a black-haired boy sat alone. She sighed and squeezed into the side of the table.

"Hi." A boy with curly brown hair, sitting across from her smiled. "I'm Conner."

Then a similar looking boy next to him spoke, "And I'm Travis. We're the counselors of the Hermes cabin. Are you claimed or unclaimed."

"Unclaimed."

Conner looked relieved. "Good, because we don't have a lot of room left in the Hermes cabin."

Arabella looked down awkwardly, wanting to be sitting with Aaron. Conner's smiled faded, as Travis nudged him. Conner realized his mistake.

"Not that it wouldn't be okay, if you were our sister. We'd welcome you with open arms, and-" Conner tried, before a loud sound cut him off.

_Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!_

Arabella turned, and her shoulders fell as she saw a man who had the lower body of a horse. It was like a major government official saying, _"You know what? Let's just forget about logic and science. Screw the millions of dollars we've spent of research to find answers."_

The campers continued to talk, loudly. The horse-man continued to bang his hooved against the ground. Everybody quited down, as a pudgy man in the worst Hawaiin shirt ever made began to stand. The man smiled and sat back down.

"Hello everyone." The horse-man spoke. "First matter of business, I would like to address a few things. Conner and Travis, please refrain from placing chocolate Easter bunnies on the roof of the Demeter cabin."

Arabella looked at Conner and Travis, they high-fived each other. Some of the other campers at the Hermes table, starting clamping them on their back, muttering their approval.

"And furthermore, Katie, if they do this again, please refrain from the posion ivy. We must save our nectar and ambrosia for better causes."

Chatter arose from what Arabella assumed to be the Demeter cabin. They all began to congratulate one specific girl, probably "Katie."

"And lastly, we have a new camper. She stumbled onto Half-Blood Hill last week, and she has finally awoken." Chiron looked at Arabella. "Please, grace me with your name. You were unconscious last I saw you."

A few snickers came from the other campers, and the pudgy man began to the stand. The snickers disappeared, and he sat down.

"Arabella."

"Last name?"

"Summers." Arabella said. "Arabella Summers."

"Welcome, Arabella Sum-" Chiron froze mid-sentence as everyone directed their attention to the area above Arabella's head.

Arabella was confused at first. Then, she looked up.

A glowing harp hovered about seven inches from her head. She immediately stood up, the harp moving with her. She attempted to swipe it off, and when it avoided her hand, Arabella began to panic. She tried pushing it off, but to no avail. She scratched at it, and jumped around, hoping to push it off, but it stayed there.

"Get it off!" Arabella cried at.

She looked to Conner, who looked strangely relieved. Travis looked unmoved by everything. Arabella looked to Aaron, her first friend here. He wore a guilty, yet depressed expression like he had won the lottery, but it only turned out to be three dollars.

And then, it just vanished, and Arabella relaxed, catching her breath.

"All hail, Arabella Summers!" The horse-man yelled out. "Daughter of Apollo, god of the Sun, medicine, music, poetry, and Poetry. The Archer. Brother to Artemis. Master of Delphi, and Slayer of the Python."

Well, she had a long title, now didn't she?

A grim feeling came over Arabella, realizing why Aaron appeared so upset. She forced down whatever she had left in her stomach. She felt sick, but she had a reason to. Her own brother had been flirting with her.

"Conner, will you please give a tour to Miss. Summers?" The horse-man asked. "You make eat afterwards."

"Sure, Chiron." Conner responded.

Conner walked up to Arabella, and grabbed her hand.

"Come on Arabella, welcome to Camp Half-Blood. Let's give you a tour."

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Arabella really didn't pay attention to Conner the entire tour.

He talked about cabins, camp activities, and recent pranks he pulled on everybody with his brother, Travis. She should've been listening, but she was off in another universe, occasionally nodding. She felt guiltly about it, but she pushed it aside.

She was dealing with a lot right now.

She didn't know what happened to her mother, but a little voice in her head told her that her mother was gone. Arabella knew she was at Camp Half-Blood, but she didn't know where in the world that was.

"And this is one of the best places in all of camp." Conner said, pulling her along. "This is the Long Island Sound."

Long Island Sound? As is Long Island, New York? Her home was back in Georgia, where her mother would type all day with her french nails. Where she would fall out of the old tree in the backyard, and break something new every summer. Where her mother had bought that stupid door, that Arabella had nevered liked. Where her house was probably destroyed by those bird-monsters.

"Arabella?" Conner asked. "You haven't been paying attention at all, have you?"

"How'd you know?" Arabella asked.

"I've said banana, nearly every sentence, and all you've done is nod your head like it was perfectly normal."

Arabella plopped down into the sand, and looked into the setting sun, feeling it's depleting warmth.

"I'm sorry, Conner." She apologized. "I'm just going through a lot, right now."

"You can tell me." Conner sat down beside her, stretching out his legs.

And so she did, with many tears in between words. Conner never interrupted her, just listened, which was more than she did for him. She told him about her life in Georgia, and her school. She told him about all the monsters stalking her, and he never told her to, "suck it," like Melany did.

When she reached the part about the conversation between Honey Boy and her mother, Conner appeared to be paying even more attention. Even when she reached the part about some girl and some curse. She told him about Honey Boy's disappearance, and the bird ladies attacking.

Arabella squeezed her eyes shut, to prevent tears, as she told him about what they did to her mother, and the bright light, and then the darkness. By the time she was done, she was bawling in tears. He didn't tell her to suck it up, or to shut up. He just wrapped his arms around her, trying to comfort. She could tell it was a "one-person-hug," he expected nothing in return, so she didn't respond.

"I've met my dad, but only once." Conner spoke, suddenly. "It was on Mount Olympus during the Second Titan War. He only told the entire group what to do. There was no one-on-one time. Even though, he'll live forever, and I know he's there, sometimes it feels like he doesn't care and he doesn't exist. I don't even call him: Dad. He's Hermes."

"I think I know what you mean." Arabella said. "I think Honey Boy was my father, Apollo. He looked really young, you know."

Conner chuckled, but didn't speak.

"I only saw him, I never even spoke to him." Arabella said, sadly.

"It's okay. Us, half-bloods, rarely talk with our parents face-to-face."

"Thanks, Conner."

"You're welcome."

And Conner pulled her into a hug, this one she returned.

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**The first thing I would like to address is age. I want Arabella to be young, just a little older than Percy when he found out his was a demigod. So I want Conner to be that age too, and of course Travis and Aaron will be that age too. **

**So, Arabella is 13 or 14, and so are Travis, Conner, Katie, and Aaron. Percy and Annabeth will be the right age of about 16. And the other characters are their usual ages, unless I change it later on so something will make sense. **

**Anyways, REVIEW!**

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**Never ever stop being such Awesome Possums! :oD**


	3. A Bright Sun

**Hey guys, this story does need a little more love, but it's okay. I'll write even if I don't get a lot of reviews, favorites, views, or follows. I'm fine with it, I just love writing, and I really like this story. **

**So I hope all the fans of this story like Chapter 3!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Percy Jackson series.**

**I don't have anything funny to say with the disclaimer today, that's how boringly stupid they are.**

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Arabella woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

She groaned and rolled out of the covers, only to fall off the top bunk. She sighed, and struggled out of the blanket that came down with her. She was in the Apollo cabin, it was filled with musical instruments and pictures of Whitney Houston and Billy Joel.

She didn't understand the music part of being a child of Apollo, for she wasn't very good. She could sort of read music, from her knowledge of the basics when she took music class, as if was required in elementary school. She was a decent singer, but never participated in Karaoke Night, because one of her sister's would just follow it up by belting out Aretha Franklin better than Aretha could've.

The cabin was already empty. Her siblings were already gone, and breakfast was probably over. They'd learned to leave her to her sleep with the weird things that would happen when they'd try to wake her up. Three days ago, Will's guitar had exploded, and the day before that Aaron's voice began to crack when he tried to sing. Arabella had tried to tell him it was simply puberty, but he refused to believe it.

Oh well. More sleep for Arabella.

She went to her trunk at the end of the bed, she used to share with her half-sister: Harmony. But after the first night, Harmony had transferred to the bed in the far corner, away from Arabella. She opened her trunk and grabbed a pair of denim shorts, and a Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, left behind by Harmony.

She quickly shoved on the clothes, and her old pair of yellow vans that were so faded they would soon be white. Now they were just the color of watered urine. She checked her reflection in one of the many tubas lying about the cabin, since the Apollo kids believed that mirrors distracted from music. She walked outside and felt the sun, high in the sky, energize her.

_12:45 pm. _Arabella thought.

She didn't know how she knew, but she was certain that was the time of day.

She had already missed lunch, maybe she could get to the pavilion and sneak something out. It was worth a shot. She began to walk towards the pavilion, in search of food, when she stopped in front of a cabin.

She had seen it before, and thought nothing of it, but it was different this time. It shimmered in the daylight, the stones of it structure shifted, switching with it's neighbor and so on. It was compelling, they moved on their own, creating pictures for a few moments, before it changed again. Who's cabin was this?

She certainly wasn't going to find out just standing there, gawking. Arabella walked up it's stone path, for a few feet, before groaning in frustration as it shifted too. She jumped off of it, and stood still for a moment on the grass, making sure it didn't move. When it was still, she walked along side the path to the front door. She looked at the door, a witch's wand carved into wood, and knocked on it.

A girl with brown hair, and wide unatural violet eyes opened it. She wore a long brown mage's robe, but she hadn't buckled the front, revealing her orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, and purple shorts. She held a wand, topped with a glowing star tip in her left hand.

She smiled at Arabella, "Hi! Can I help you?"

"Um," Arabella started. "Hi, I'm Arabella, and I'm a daughter of Apollo. I'm new here, and I was wondering, who's cabin is this? So I came to ask."

The more Arabella talked, the more uncomfortable she became. She realized that the girl had smiled at her, probably hoping for someone to talk to, perhaps even a friend. But all Arabella wanted was the name of the god, or goddess, who's children lived in the cabin.

The girl's smile didn't even falter, "Well this is the Hecate cabin, goddess of magic, wizards, potions, and spells! I'm the cabin counselor. My name is Lou Ellen."

Arabella cracked a slight smile, at Lou Ellen's inability to be offended.

"Cool."

"Thanks." Lou Ellen's grin grew. "Do you want to come in? I could give you a tour, we've got some pretty cool stuff."

"I would-" Arabella started, before she was interrupted.

"There you are, Arabella!" It was Aaron. "Finally get up?"

Aaron jogged over to her, and Will followed, along with the rest of the cabin. They each had a standard bow in their hands, some had amplified theirs with paint, release grips, stabliziers, and arm guards. Some carried compound bows, and others carried long bows, and all had a quiver attached to their thigh or strapped to their backs. Arabella tried not to show her discomfort, they were obviously about to go to archery practice.

"Um, yeah. I got up." Arabella responded, taking her eyes off the bows.

"Good, because we're about to go to Archery, and we got to get a bow fitted for you." Will sounded excited.

"You guys are going to archery, too?" Lou Ellen butted in.

Her robe and wand had vanished, and she held a carefully crafted long bow, shined and smoothed. Her smile had never left her face.

"Yeah, Lou." Will smiled back at her, with somewhat affection. "You can walk down with us if you like."

"Who, me?" Lou Ellen looked down her sneakers. "Uh, sure! Yeah, that'd be great."

"Sweet." Will said. "Come on, guys. We still need to get Arabella a bow."

The group turned to a dirt path, and walked down hill, in the distance Arabella could see an archery range, with targets lined up. She and Lou Ellen stuck to the back of the group, and Arabella looked at her new friend.

"So, you like Will?" Arabella grinned, cockeyed.

"What?" Mary Lou blushed. "I mean, yeah, but he's two years older, and-"

"And what?" Arabella interrupted. "Two years? Did that sixteen years stop Tom Cruise when he married Katie Holmes?"

"I don't know!" Lou Ellen exclaimed. "I'm not an Aphrodite girl, I don't really know who you're talking about!"

"Well for you information, it didn't."

"I still don't know, Arabella." Lou Ellen sighed, looking ahead to Will. "He's way out of my league."

"Will? Out of _your_ league?" Arabella laughed. "If anything, you're out of his league."

"What? No!"

"Of cour-" Something in the sky caught Arabella's attention.

It's brown wings flapped out in a steady rhythm, the sun shining down on it. It's familiar shape drew it to her eye, it's hair blowing in the wind, as it picked up speed. It fly through the clouds, twisting and turning in the delight and freedom the sky offered. It was a magnificant creature, and Arabella couldn't have hated it more.

"That monster." Arabella muttered. under her breath.

"What monster?" Lou Ellen heard her, drawing her bow, before following Arabella's line of vision. "Oh the harpy? It's fine, they work here. No need to be afraid, they're cool."

"They killed my mother."

"What?" Lou Ellen asked. "Arabella, what are you talking about?"

Arabella didn't respond. Lou Ellen placed a concerned hand on her new friend's shoulder. None of the Apollo kids seemed to notice the two laggers had stopped, and they walked on. Lou Ellen was just about to wave them back, when Arabella began to glow.

"Arabella?"

Arabella's skin grew hot, and Lou Ellen yanked her burnt hand off her stove-hot shoulder. She screamed in pain as gripped her wrist and stared at it's peeling burn. The other Apollo kids began to take notice. Will motioned three campers back to camp, and whispered something to Aaron. Aaron looked ticked, but he ran off too.

The light from Arabella become blinding, as even the Apollo children, fifty yards ahead had to shield their eyes with Lou Ellen who stood two feet from her.

"Arabella?!" Lou Ellen cried out, ignoring the searing pain in her hand.

Arabella turned her head and looked at Lou Ellen. Her eyes were no longer their lovely blue pigment, instead a white light filled her entire eye, pupil to the outer edges. The light burned out of her eyes, like minature supernovas, creating their own blinding ray.

"Arabella?" Lou Ellen whimpered, weakly.

The wind began to swirl around Arabella, throwing Lou Ellen the fifty yards to the Apollo kids, slamming into Will. Her hair caught fire, as she rose into the air, completely unaware of what she was doing. Campers came out at the noises, few bothered to stay, many ran back into their cabins in fear.

Aaron ran back to Will who was sitting on the ground with Lou Ellen, shielding her from debris. He pulled Conner Stoll behind him, who looked shocked and confused, but unafraid and determined.

"What did you do?" Conner looked accusingly at Lou Ellen and Will.

"Nothing!" Lou Ellen defended them both. "She saw a harpy, said it killed her mother, and went psycho."

Conner remembered the day when Arabella came to camp, and Conner had given her a tour. He remembered how she cried, anger at the "bird ladies" who took, slashed, and most likely killed her beloved mother. Conner braced himself and began to walk foreward, using his hands to shield his eyes from dust. He struggled, until he was a mere ten yards from her, holding onto a large rock.

The winds were large, and Conner had no choice, but to hang onto something, or he'd fly back to the others. She was in the middle of a tornado, and the gusts of air were only getting stronger. She was like Percy and his powerful hurricanes, only she wasn't tiring.

"Arabella!" Conner called out, over the winds.

Arabella's head jerked for a moment, like she recognized the sound of her name. But she turned her head back, and increased the winds, as if she didn't care what he had to say. A bright whip of fire formed in her hand, and she chucked it at the harpy. It lengthed as it went, fulled by the increasing flames. As it reached the harpy, it wrapped itself around the poor bird, and Conner thought he saw Arabella grin at her catch.

Arabella placed both hands around the handle, as if she were summoning strength to bring down a large beast, instead of a small harpy. She yanked down the whip, bringing the bird down; it landed with a crunch of broken bones. The onlookers winced at the impact, but Arabella only grinned sickingly wider as if she enjoyed the harpy's pain.

The flames tightened around the harpy, squashing more bones as it suffocated it. Conner watched on in fear, as the poor bird would most likely do. There was nothing he could that could save it, but he had to try.

"Arabella!" Conner's voice was louder than ever. "She didn't kill you mother!"

Arabella's hand loosened on the whip for a moment, before it tightened again.

"There are millions of harpies in the world!" Conner tried. "Killing one would make you no better than them."

Arabella lowered herself, the winds slowing down. The whip lightened on the bird, before disappearing completely. Some Apollo kids rushed for it, but Will put his hand up, signaling a wait. Conner looked into Arabella's saddened glowing eyes.

"No better than them?" Her voice was strange, it had a sound of power in it.

"Yes." Conner took her warm hand. "Let it end here."

Conner kissed her hand, gently. He wanted her to know, that even though her mother may be gone, he was there for her, and that was all that mattered. She looked at him, her glow softened as she turned her head away in shame. She closed her eyes in guilt, before collasping into Conner's arms.

Conner pressed his lips to the top of her head, lightly pressing against her honey blonde hair. The Apollo kids rushed forward to the bird, carrying it off, hopefully to save it. Lou Ellen hugged Will, before he started scolding her about her burn. Present campers cheered, before going back to their business as soon as they saw the flick of a white horse's tail approaching.

Chiron approached Conner and Arabella with an Apollo kid, Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, and Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, close behind. Chiron waved off the Apollo kid to the infirmary, and trotted to the two. She bent down and whipped away a bit of Arabella's hair, cupping her cheek, sadly. For the first time in his life, Conner saw the way Chiron looked when he was genuinely afraid. Not even Kronos was offered that face.

Chiron spoke, fear edging his voice, "She's arrived."

* * *

**Thanks for all your support of me! Please tell your friends about this story, and get them to read it, it would mean a lot to me! But even if you don't, I will keep writing. **

**So news update: I have posted the first chapter to the sequel of my Traite story: Faking It. It's called Betrayed. So all you Fakers, go check it out! Hope you enjoy!**

**My Randomness: Sometimes I like to stand in front of the toaster and try not to flinch when the bread comes out.**

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**Never ever stop being Awesome Possums! :oD**


	4. The Bane of Apollo

**Ahhhhh... the fourth chapter! I've been waiting for this. This is my prophecy chapter, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson series.**

**But, I'll get it someday, and it's little dog too! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

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"She's arrived."

"What do you mean, 'she's arrived?'" Conner asked, tightening his grip on Arabella's waist.

Chiron simply chose to ignore Conner's question, "Percy, Grover. Take her to the infirmary. Annabeth walk with me."

Conner looked at the girl in his arms, worried, as if he were afraid she'd deteriorate into dust in a matter a seconds, but he knew that wouldn't happen. She had just displayed amazing power, albeit with very little control. It was obvious Chiron was fearful of her, but as for what reason, Conner did not know. Chiron had seen many things, being a trainer of heroes for as long as he's been, but Arabella didn't seem like someone to freak out over. She was just like Percy, just an extremely powerful demigod.

Chiron gave one last look to the unconscious girl before he turned away, Annabeth in her position his side. Percy cupped his hand and whispered something into Grover's ear; then he looked at Conner with an apologetic half-smile. Percy approached the two and pried Arabella from Conner's arms, while Grover tried his best to hold Conner back, who obviously didn't want Arabella to be taken from him.

Percy lifted Arabella into his arms and carried her downhill an old dirt path to the infirmary. After about two minutes of constant struggling, Conner managed to push Grover off entirely, but Grover hooked onto Conner's leg. Grover tightened his grip, preventing Conner from pulling him off. Then he went boneless, adding his deadweight to Conner.

"Sorry about this man, nothing personal."

Conner shrugged, as he continued in his attempt walk to the infirmary, one leg limping with Grover's weight.

* * *

"What's wrong, Chiron?" Annabeth asked, as soon as they were out of earshot of the other campers.

"The oldest prophecy." Chiron answered, refusing eye contact with her. "And I thought it was just a story."

Annabeth was a smart girl, despite the stereotype of blonde hair. She had been at camp since she was seven years old, and she knew full well when Chiron was worried about something, even when he hid it from everyone else. And this "oldest prophecy," obviously scared the hades out of him.

"What is it?" Annabeth fiddled with her loose curls. "The oldest prophecy?"

Chiron sighed, as he flicked his tail, in discomfort.

_"The Bane of Apollo shall take it's hold, _

_the thief and the light's quest foretold._

_The Sun shall blacken in endless rage,_

_only to be healed by the sunlight sage."_

Annabeth listened intently, trying to make sense of the prophecy, which would never happen. No one could understand a prophecy, everything was exactly opposite. As soon as you thought you figured it out, it changed, and you were left clueless again.

Annabeth looked curiously at Chiron, "What is the Bane of Apollo?"

Chiron looked up to the shining sun, as if seeing Apollo himself, "An ancient spirit. It is supposed to be a great blessing from Apollo, though I would call it more of a parasite. It lives in a host body, and in return it shows impressive power through the host. It is extremely protective of it's host, and very dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

"Yes. In all my years, I have never met anyone hosting the Bane. I never imagined anyone could."

"Why couldn't someone host it?" Annabeth asked, though she was quite sure of the answer.

"From what I've heard, the Bane of Apollo does not like the... limits of the host body. The Bane loves freedom, and power, and the human body can rarely take that. It's like supporting another being inside you, one who always wants to escape. Many who have tried to support it have gone insane, and ended up killing themselves."

Annabeth stopped abruptly in her tracks, causing Chiron to stop as well, "Do you believe that Arabella, per say, is this host for the Bane?"

Chiron began to walk—rather, trot—again, "Yes. I have suspected since she first arrived, and after that display, my theory has been confirmed. I believe that Arabella is the Bane of Apollo."

Annabeth had never been so conflicted, "What do we do?"

"The oldest prophecy spoke of a thief, and it seems that Conner Stoll has taken a certain liking to her." Chiron winked, humorously at her.

Annabeth nodded in agreement, chuckling at Conner's obsession for her, "The sun shall blacken in endless rage? That doesn't sound very good, what does it mean?"

"I agree. I imagine it means that someone will try to eliminate the sun—Apollo—at it's source: the sun chariot. I have recieved news that the chariot, as well as Apollo, have gone missing."

Annabeth looked up, and felt the sun's warmth. She shielded her eyes with her hands, from the light. The sun looked as bright and as healthy as ever. Annabeth felt confused, and slight disbelief. Perhaps Chiron was playing a joke on her. For if Apollo was missing, shouldn't the sun be gone as well?

"But the sun is still in the sky." Annabeth spoke her thoughts.

Chiron smiled at her, "Yes, child. The Sun is still there, and it will not go away as long at the sun chariot is in existance. Apollo's attendants are currently keeping the sun in place to prevent alarm amongst the mortals. However if the sun chariot is destroyed than the fuel to the sun will vanish, and Apollo will slowly fade away."

"Why would Apollo fade?"

The two rounded a corner passing the arena. A pair of campers jogged up to Chiron, it was obvious they were newbies. Every other camper, even seaweed-brained Percy, knew not to come to Chiron when he was talking with someone of high rank, such as Annabeth. Chiron simply waved them off with a swish of his tail, and he and Annabeth continued on.

"Every god is tied to their chosen place of power." Chiron answered.

"Isn't that their thrones? Isn't that where Kronos tried to destory them?"

Despite the fact Annabeth had been there when Kronos had tried to destroy the gods by their thrones, she still asked. She didn't exactly remember most of it, because of sheer pain; both mental and physical. All the details of that war were a little fuzzy to Annabeth, as she was half-alive most of the time.

Chiron ignored her mention of Kronos, "When the gods took power, they had the choice of where to tie their power to. Many choose their thrones as an act of pride, where heroes will cower before their might. But Apollo chose his most prized posession: his sun chariot. Not even his bow and his quiver of arrows can compare to it."

Annabeth nodded, quickly understanding as she was a child of Athena. Chiron smiled at her, this is why he always came to her when he needed someone at his right hand. She was brilliant, she could take any scenario, and comprehend it in a a matter of moments.

"I understand." She said what Chiron already knew. "But what about the last line? _'Only to be healed by the sunlight sage?'_"

Chiron stopped in his path and thought for a moment, as Annabeth stood and waited for him, as she knew to do. She kept her mouth shut and let Chiron play out his options; this was serious business, and he needed quiet. She often craved quiet too when she thought of an idea or a new building design, but that's usually when Percy walked through the door and started bothering her. Annabeth smiled at the thought of her Seaweed Brain, and his ignorance, but that's why she loved him.

Chiron finally opened his mouth to speak, "I can only imagine that's Apollo or perhpas even Arabella."

Annabeth agreed with him, "I hope this 'sunlight sage' is on our side."

"Yes, Annabeth, one can only hope."

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**Sorry this chapter was kind of short. The whole time I was writing it and every time I wrote "The Bane" I kept thinking, "someone is going to review and tell me about Batman, I just know it." LOL!**

**Anyways, review for me!**

**My Randomness: I'm so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I'm saying.**

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**You guys are such Awesome Possums! :oD**


	5. Quests

**Hey guys, sorry for not updating for a while, but my computer crashed and I had to get it fixed. And then I had written this entire chapter out, and I was done, then it crashed again. Then I was freakin' mad, because I had written the whole thing, and it was really good too. So then I had to go back, and get it fixed again... Now it's fixed, and I hope it stays fixed, otherwise I will throw it across the room.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson series. **

**I only own Arabella, Aaron, and the Bane of Apollo... which is good enough for me!**

* * *

Arabella Summers was swimming in eternal darkness.

She took deep breaths, reminding herself that the dark was not as scary as it seemed. Arabella could barely move, as if she were pushing through jello. Her lungs were tight, and she found it difficult to suck in oxygen. Her eyes were open, but it wouldn't have made a difference if they were closed; she couldn't even see her own hand.

Arabella learned not to struggle through the darkness; no matter how much force she applied the pressure was just as intense, perhaps even more. Her slow steady pace became all she knew, there was nothing else. Just the darkness.

Until it caved in.

Arabella felt it before anything else. A deep rumbling came from below, and something began pulling her down. Arabella fought against it clawing at anything she could grab, but there was nothing, just the darkness. Her blood pressure rose, as her heart beat quickened. She could taste the death that awaited her when she fell. And then the black beneath her dropped away, and she tumbled down.

The fall was short, but she landed hard. There was at least a little light in this new place, however dim it was. There was no source to the light, until Arabella realized she was glowing. She looked at herself, her camp clothes still in place, but with a faint orange tint encircling her body. On a hunch, Arabella willed the light to glow brighter, and it didn't. She shrugged, she'd figure it out later.

Arabella walked, without a destination to get to, hoping she'd find something along the way. Grateful for her comforting yellow vans, she slumped while she walked, tired. She was sure she wouldn't find anything, not knowing where she was herself, until another light shined in the distance.

It was a similar orange color to Arabella herself, and she felt compelled to it, as if it were beckoning her to it. Despite the fact the figure appeared to be miles away, Arabella reached it in merely twenty-three steps. Arabella looked at it, not sure what to do.

It was an identical clone to Arabella, with minor differences. She wore a skin-tight black suit, with her midriff showing. A belt was low on her hips, gold running through it, fading it and out. Her blonde hair was bleachy, a color that Arabella had always wanted, but never had. Her hair was in natural beach-blown waves, another Arabella wanted, but couldn't never achieve. She wore no make-up, but her features were perfectly accented.

She was a perfected version of Arabella.

"Who—" Arabella stuttered. "Who are you?"

The girl smiled, showing off perfectly straight white teeth, "I am the Bane of Apollo."

"What's that?" Arabella was careful not to stumble through her words.

"I am a source of extreme power." This 'Bane of Apollo' answered. "You were given to me, by your father, as a host body. I cannot live, properly, without one."

"You're a parasite?" Arabella felt appalled, there was something using her as a host boy.

But the Bane of Apollo merely laughed, "Not exactly. I do live in you, but I don't take food and water, as I don't eat. I protect you, and offer great defense in times of trouble."

"You sound perfect." Arabella said bitterly, feeling insecure.

"I'm not." Bane looked away, as if she were ashamed. "There is a drawback to this power. There is an evil side to the Bane of Apollo."

"Evil side?"

"Yes, would you like to meet her?"

Arabella felt like she didn't have much of a choice, "Yes."

"Follow me."

Bane spun on her heels, and walked away, Arabella following close behind. Arabella was curious about this power inside her, and wanted to press questions, but she was also terrified of this girl. Suddenly Bane stopped in her tracks, and turned and faced Arabella.

"You wish to ask me questions?" She asked.

"Oh, no." Arabella lied.

"Arabella, you are unconscious in the outside world, to answer your first question." Arabella's eyebrows rose, wondering how she knew that. "I am you, Arabella, I know all your thoughts."

Arabella made a mental note not to think so much anymore.

"You're wondering who I am?" Bane questioned.

Arabella slowly nodded.

"Well, walk with me, we haven't got all day." Bane turned, and continued to talk as she did. "I have been around since the early days of Greece, when Apollo created me, for a friend. The Spirit of Delphi was jealous, as Apollo had her first, and she made a terrible prophecy about me—"

"What was the prophecy?" Arabella interrupted.

"It is not my place, you'll know soon enough." Then Bane continued. "I've taken few hosts, and none have survived long. Though the ones who lived longer than others, created many great things—" she sighed. "But have also caused great sadness. My counterpart in the Bane is horrible, and takes over every host to come across."

Arabella swallowed, now knowing her chances of death.

"Then your father chose you. You are unlike any host we've ever had, lasting much longer than each. You are brilliant, strong, and brave. You were born for this, and I've been here for you since day one. As you grew, I grew, but each host is destined to empower the dark side of the Bane of Apollo. Whenever someone was rude to you, or did something you disliked, she—the evil side of the Bane—grew more powerful. And she hungers for more power, each day"

Things were much more quiet after that; Arabella could sense that the Bane wished she hadn't said anything, only frightening Arabella. Both continued to walk on, with only the glow from them both to illuminate their surroundings. They continued to walk until they came upon a cave, though she couldn't see past the dark shadows of the cave, she knew what—rather who—was inside.

"This is where I leave you," Bane said. "This is not my territory, and I risk much to bring you here, but now I must go. Good luck."

"Wait!" Arabella tried, but it was too late, Bane was gone.

But she wasn't gone, just the good part of her. Arabella knew that the evil side was waiting inside the cave, and that sent tiny shivers down Arabella's spine, as if Jack frost had decided to trace his hand down her back. Arabella swallowed her fear, and attempted to ignore the cold creeping up on her. Then she crawled through the entrance, avoiding sharp stalagmites, then she was in.

She came upon a large cavern, with three seperate tunnels leading away from it. By using her ever-so-smart deductive mind, she knew that only one path could lead to the evil side of Bane, but she didn't know which. After a series of deciding eenie, meenie, minny, mo, she chose the second path, but just as she was about to go into the tunnel, a little red flag went up. She closed her eyes unwillingly, and she was suddenly someone else.

_Arabella walked into the cave, it was a new place, similar to the old one. This is where she'd live, until she'd kill this one off. Her mood was bad, as it always was, she thought of a new theme to enchant this place to. An silly old rhyme came back into her head, and smiled._

_Then she created three tunnels, and walked through her choice, creating her hide out. _

Arabella's eyes burst open, as she caught her breath. She looked at the tunnels again, and couldn't help, but laugh. She walked through the first tunnel, humming the rhyme, feeling an old mixture of stupidity, ridiculousness, and humor.

"_First_ is the _worst, _second is the best, and third is the one with the treasure chest!" She giggled to herself, when she remembered when her mother taught her that rhyme.

Her laughter stopped abruptly in thought of her mother, she felt the glow around her brighten as it increased in heat. She took a breath, and her eyes narrowed, as her heart rehardened. She continued down the path, expressionless.

She came up a wooden door, it was simple in itself, with a rustic brass door knob. She gripped it in her hand, and turned it, the door easily opening. The room was circular, with little furniture, just a simple rug as far from the door as possible. And a girl sat, with her legs crossed, on it.

She had her own glow, and appeared to be meditating. Each time she breathed in, a dark orange glow, like deathly fire, increased in height around her body, and returned to it's size when she exhaled. She had blonde hair, but it was dark enough to be mistaken for brown, if it was too dark. It was frizzy and messy, like she hadn't cared to brush it ever. She had a black suit on like Bane, but her's was wrinkled, matching her hair.

Arabella sat down behind her, with a firm guess on who she was, but she still asked, "Who are you?"

She could feel the girl smiling, "You know who I am."

"You are the Bane of the Apollo."

The girl stood up, facing Arabella, letting her see her frontside. The girl's stomach was toned and an outline of abs formed around it, where the midriff was cut. Rather than the skin-tight neat full pant leg, as the good Bane had, her's were ripped in various places, exposing tanned skin. Her face was striking, with too much make-up. Heavy amounts of black-eye liner made her dark blue eyes appear to pop out of her head, with cherry red lips that were obviously painted.

She held out her arms, as if showcasing all her glory, "Bad version, baby."

Arabella stood up, noticing they were both the same height, "What makes you so bad?"

"Power-hungry." She smirked, her orange glow becoming brighter, "I want total control, to be in power. Don't you just love it."

"Why?" Arabella asked.

"To achieve full power, to unlock total havoc, the Bane has to be in full control. The host must succumb to it."

"And what if I don't?"

"No one can control the Bane for long." Her eyes darkened, and her eyebrows burrowed.

"I can." Truth be told, Arabella didn't know if she could, it just felt good to say it.

"No one can." Evil Bane insisted. "Not the last one, and not anyone before her."

"Who was the last one?" Arabella asked, pressing on. "I deserve to know."

She merely chuckled, and sat back down to her meditation, "Time will tell, Ari."

Arabella's temper soared, at the sound of her old nickname. Bane knew this, and was tempting her, knowing that anger would leave her vulnerable, "I—"

"Leave me now." Bane ordered, her orange growing, consuming Arabella.

* * *

Arabella gasped for air, and tried to sit up, but gave up as a wave of pain consumed her.

She looked around at her surroundings. She was in a bed, but not her bunk at the Apollo cabin, still familiar though. She was in the infirmary; she knew it as soon as she saw the card table that lacked Aaron and his friends. Although light shined through an open window, she could hear snoring. She moved her head, popping her neck in the process, to her left, to see... Conner?

"Conner?" She rasped out.

Despite her lack of audibility, Conner jolted to life, "Arabella! Are you all right? What happened? What was that? Are you all right?"

Arabella laughed, weakly, but it was meaningful enough to make Conner half-smile, hopefully, "You said that twice."

"Well, are you?"

"I think I'm all right." She felt okay, as far as she should be feeling. "Help me stand."

Conner draped her arm over his shoulder, and let her put his weight against. Arabella felt the nauseous hit, as she had expected, but she didn't say anything to Conner. The two stumbled out of the infirmary, and into the bright sun, where they were immediately met by Chiron.

"Conner!" Chiron shouted, sounded concerned, as he trotted to them. "What is she doing up?"

"She wanted too." Conner answered, refusing to look Chiron in the eye.

"Why shouldn't I be up?" Arabella asked.

Chiron opened his mouth as if to answer her question, but changed what he was going to say, "Never mind. As long as you're feeling all right. Now, you must pack."

Arabella felt another wave of sickness hit her, "What?"

Chiron clapped his hands together, "You two have been issued a quest, and you must leave immediately."

"What about a prophecy?" Conner questioned.

Chiron sighed, "There is already a prophecy."

"What?" Arabella's eyes widened, remember something the good side of Bane told her.

"Yes, it's been alive for a thousand years."

* * *

**I had a friend tell me its, "First is the worst, second is the best, and third is the one with the hairy chest." I know it that way too, but I wanted the other way, because a hairy chest isn't exactly good either. I wanted two good, one bad, so it makes sense that Evil Bane would go down the first, because it's the worst. **

**Anyways, hope you enjoyed. Read and REVIEW!**

**My Randomness: If you put a finer in your ear and scratch, it sounds like PacMan!**

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**Never ever stop being such Awesom Possums! :oD**


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